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The telescopes have mirrors similar in size to the famed Hubble Space Telescope, but they are not ready for space - not by a long shot.

For starters, they lack cameras and instruments essential for astronomy research. The equipment costs money - around $1billion, according to some estimates.

Dr Spergel, a member of the National Academy of Science’s Committee on Astrophysics and Astronomy told Time: ‘A 50 per cent discount still means you have to come up with the other 50 per cent.’

One man's trash: While the telescopes were given to NASA free of charge, they do not have the funds to launch them into space (file photo)

The final frontier: The astrophysics director for NASA said that he hopes to launch the telescopes by 2024, or sooner, 'if money is no object' (file photos)

NASA astrophysics director Paul Hertz told the Washington Post that the soonest NASA could hope to launch the telescopes was in 2024, but said they might launch earlier ‘if money is no object.’

He added that the initial framework means less overhead, and more that can potentially be spent on newer technologies. In total, the massive gifts will likely save the space agency some $250million down the road.

However, until scientists have enough money for launches, the telescopes will remain in the upstate New York warehouse.

Neither the NRO or NASA would release pictures of the two telescopes.

Scientists hope NASA will repurpose one of the telescopes to study dark energy, the mysterious force that could explain the universe’s expansion.